Comparison of Optimal Endotracheal Tube Depth Using Four Different Formulas in Children Aged 1-4 Years and Verification With Fiberoptic Bronchoscopy

Comparison of Optimal Endotracheal Tube Depth Using Four Different Formulas (Based on Age, Height, Weight, and Third Finger Length) in Children Aged 1-4 Years and Verification With Fiberoptic Bronchoscopy

Status

Completed

Phases

Unknown

Study type

Observational

Source

ClinicalTrials.gov

Registry ID

NCT06937840

Enrollment

120

Registered

2025-04-22

Start date

2023-05-01

Completion date

2024-12-31

Last updated

2025-04-25

For informational purposes only — not medical advice. Sourced from public registries and may not reflect the latest updates. Terms

Conditions

Pediatric Surgical Procedures Requiring Endotracheal Intubation Under General Anesthesia

Keywords

Pediatric airway, endotracheal tube, intubation depth

Brief summary

. The optimal position of the endotracheal tube (ETT) within the trachea is the middle third portion, distal to the vocal cords. In addition to clinical assessments, methods such as posteroanterior chest radiography (PA-CXR) and fiberoptic bronchoscopy (FOB) can be used to verify ETT placement. In our study, we aim to explain the relationship between the most accurate endotracheal tube depth and various formulas by using fiberoptic bronchoscopy, with the help of four different formulas based on age, height, weight, and third finger length.The study further seeks to: 1. To identify the most accurate formula for estimating ETT placement depth in the pediatric population living in Turkey. 2. To reduce the potential complications that may arise from incorrect ETT depth. 3. To determine which formula, when verified by fiberoptic bronchoscopy, is also consistent with auscultation findings-especially in situations where chest radiography or fiberoptic bronchoscopy may not be readily available.

Interventions

None listed

Study design

Observational model

OTHER

Time perspective

PROSPECTIVE

Eligibility

Sex/Gender

ALL

Age

1 Years to 4 Years

Healthy volunteers

Yes

Inclusion criteria

* American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) physical status 1 , 2 or 3 * Patients scheduled for elective surgical procedures * Informed consent must be obtained from both the patient and, if applicable, their parent or guardian.

Exclusion criteria

* Patients under 1 year old or over 4 years old * Patients with tracheobronchial anomalies * Patients with vertebral column anomalies * Patients with a history of tracheostomy and difficult intubation * Patients who do not want to be included in the study * Children with finger anomalies and syndromic associations * Cases requiring nasal intubation

Design outcomes

Primary

Measure	Time frame	Description
To determine the correct depth of endotracheal tube insertion	only once	This study aims to identify the optimal endotracheal tube insertion depth in pediatric patients by evaluating tracheal dimensions using fiberoptic bronchoscopy.
A comparative analysis of four formulas used to determine endotracheal tube positioning	only once	This study aims to identify the most accurate formula for estimating the ideal endotracheal tube depth among those based on age, weight, height, and middle finger length.

Countries

Turkey (Türkiye)

Outcome results